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Academic Structure

The University’s Academic Governance Structure is headed by the Senate.  The Senate is the academic authority of the University which, subject to the powers reserved for the Council, is responsible for promoting the academic work of the University in teaching, learning, and research and enterprise.  The Council has the ultimate authority, but it has to respect the views of the Senate in academic matters.

The Senate oversees the University’s academic management, including the curriculum and all aspects of quality and standards associated with the University as a degree-awarding body.  It has the power to make regulations, include those which (subject to the approval of the Council) delegate any of its powers.  Senate meetings concentrate on major issues of academic strategy, policy, priority and performance.

The definition, objectives, purposes and principles of academic governance at the OU are set out in the Framework of Academic Governance (pdf 67kb)

The Senate has a membership of 102 with an academic majority.  It is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor and comprises ex-officio members such as the Pro-Vice-Chancellors, Executive Deans and some other officers, fifty-seven representatives of the academic and research staff, seven Associate Lecturers, six students and 14 academic-related staff.  It can co-opt members, such as the national directors, to fill gaps in experience.

The Senate constitution (pdf 253kb) provides full details of its membership and terms of reference. The Powers of the Senate (extract from the University Charter and Statutes) are available within the Senate schedule of delegation (pdf 165kb).

Senate Minutes

2024 Senate meetings:

S-2024-01-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 1 February 2023 (Pdf 221kb)

S-2024-02-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 29 March 2023 (Pdf 263kb)

S-2024-03-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 21 June 2023 (Awaiting publication)

S-2024-04-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 11 October 2023 (Awaiting publication)

2023 Senate meetings:

S-2023-01-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 1 February 2023 (Pdf 221kb)

S-2023-02-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 29 March 2023 (Pdf 263kb)

S-2023-03-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 21 June 2023 (Pdf 253kb)

S-2023-04-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 11 October 2023 (Awaiting publication)

2022 Senate meetings:

S-2022-01-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 26 January 2022 (Pdf 209kb)

S-2022-02-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 30 March 2022 (Pdf 197kb)

S-2022-03-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 22 June 2022 (Pdf 165kb)

S-2022-04-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 12 October 2022 (Pdf 239kb)

2021 Senate meetings:

S-2021-01-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 27 January 2021 (Pdf 204kb)

S-2021-02-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 21 April 2021 (Pdf 209kb)

S-2021-03-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 23 June 2021 (Pdf 220kb)

S-2021-04-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 13 October 2021 (Pdf 203kb)

2020 Senate meetings:

S-2020-01-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 22 January 2020 (Pdf 181kb)

S-2020-02-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 1 April 2020 (Pdf 183kb)

S-2020-03-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 17 June 2020 (Pdf 214kb)

S-2020-04-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held between 6 to 13 July 2020 (Pdf 149kb)

S-2020-05-M - Minutes from meeting of Senate held on 14 October 2020 (Pdf 238kb)

The Senate Subcommittees

The Senate is supported by a structure of specialist committees that advise the Senate in areas such as Curriculum and Qualifications, Learning, Teaching and Student Support, Research, and Quality Assurance and Enhancement, and that handle the more detailed business.  These are shown in the OU Academic Governance Structure Chart (pdf 116kb)

Faculty committees are committees of the Senate, although they normally report to the policy committees of the Senate.

Governance Effectiveness Reviews

The effectiveness of the University’s governance structures and arrangements are kept under regular review.  This review has a two-pronged approach:

An annual effectiveness review (AER) appraises business and decision-making against the terms of reference for all University committees providing opportunity to consider and implement changes when required, and between major governance reviews.  A more detailed (major) review of effectiveness and performance benchmarked against guidance set out in external Codes of Governance, regulatory requirements and good practice elsewhere in the higher education sector is intended to take place every five years.

Academic Governance Reviews